Month XX, Day XX
Today was worse than usual—more painful, more depressing. Something truly dreadful happened.
I was invited to Saint Banosakka's Separate Residence as the 27th Consort. Since then, some consorts have "graduated," and new ones have joined after me, so the numbers and hierarchy have changed quite a bit. But to keep things simple, let me just refer to myself as the 27th Consort for now.
Do you remember the daughter of the 28th Consort, who came after me? She was torn from her family against her will and brought here, and she's been withdrawn and gloomy ever since. Even after all this time, she hadn't improved much, remaining silent and downcast.
Saint Banosakka noticed it too. He often eyed her with a strange, almost suspicious look, and I couldn't help but worry that something bad might happen.
I was terrified of what would happen if I displeased him. Being banished would almost be a relief—a chance to be free. The real problem was when you were forced to pay for his displeasure in other ways. And this time... that's exactly what happened.
"I can't take it anymore. I want to go home."
The girl muttered those words almost unconsciously, but Saint Banosakka happened to overhear. Furious, he demoted her from "Wife" to "slave." She was stripped of her dazzling gown and forced into coarse slave clothes. The mark was branded onto her. The girl who had been the 28th Consort was dragged away somewhere... never to return.
To make matters worse, the female slave who served as her attendant was also taken away, held accountable by association.
I'd imagined something like this could happen. Still, it was shocking, because even the senior slaves had rarely seen anything like it.
Even so, I was terrified that if we let it get us down, we'd incur his displeasure. Everyone forced themselves to act as usual, and Saint Banosakka, completely oblivious, chuckled at the sight, nodding in approval.
*So, in the end, all that matters to him is having us as pretty pets to show off.*
___
Today was a mix of sad and... well, maybe happy things.
Saint Banosakka hosted a kind of house party at his Main Residence, and we were invited. For once, not as mere decorations, but to actually participate in the party.
Of course, Saint Banosakka and the other Celestial Dragons were the stars of the show, and we were just there to liven things up. Naturally, we had to prioritize their every whim.
On top of that, I ended up performing the sword dance with Hancock and the others again.
That sword dance had become quite popular through word of mouth, and we were often asked to perform it with Hancock and her crew. It was actually quite well-received.
Performing it always improved Saint Banosakka's mood, and sometimes we even got rewards. Plus, it gave me a chance to interact with Hancock and her people, which I didn't mind at all.
Hancock and the others seemed a little reluctant about turning the Kuja Dance into a spectacle for donations from uncivilized men. But their safety came first, so they danced earnestly without complaint.
To keep the performances fresh, we rotated through several Kuja Dances that seemed to appeal to the Celestial Dragons. Today's show ended with enthusiastic applause, just like the others.
Later, as I overheard the Celestial Dragons' chatter, I caught wind of some sad news.
They were talking about Stella, the girl who had once been the 28th Consort before being enslaved, and the child of the female slave who had served her, who had been exiled under guilt-by-association.
Word had spread that both of them were dead.
I didn't get the full story, but apparently, they had been working in a brutal labor camp, enduring terrible treatment until they finally succumbed.
I managed to keep my face impassive, but... we had spent a decent amount of time together, not a long stretch, but not nothing either.
At least, may their souls find peace.
The other "pleasant" thing I mentioned earlier happened shortly after.
To backtrack a bit, for this home party, only the Wife was invited to the Main Residence. The slaves who usually assisted her were left behind to guard the Separate Residence.
After the performance, I went outside to get some fresh air. As I glanced toward the Separate Residence, I thought I saw something moving near the fence separating it from the Main Residence, in the shadow of the bushes.
"Wait, an intruder in Mary Geoise?' I cautiously approached, and there he was—a man.
His clothes were tattered, and he wore a Slave Collar. No doubt about it, he was a slave of the Celestial Dragons.
It was dark and hard to see clearly, but he had green hair and a rugged face. He looked fairly muscular.
I figured he'd been left outside to wait while his master attended the party. But there he was, beyond the fence, chatting with Stella, looking incredibly happy.
They were a bit far away, so his voice was muffled, even though he seemed to be trying to keep it down. It still carried pretty well.
Stella noticed me standing there, looking dumbfounded, and that's when the man finally saw me too.
Immediately, they both started pleading with me. "Please, just look the other way!" he begged. "We haven't seen each other in two years. Just let us talk a little longer!" Stella joined in, begging just as desperately.
After listening to their story, I realized he was Tesoro, the person Stella had once told me about—the person she held most dear.
He was the one who had rebelled against the Celestial Dragons when they tried to buy Stella. As punishment for defying them, he was enslaved and torn away from her.
He explained that by sheer chance, his master had come to the party and left him waiting outside. That's when he spotted Stella cooling off in the garden of the neighboring villa. He thought it was a miracle and couldn't help but rush over.
If his master returned, they'd be separated again. He pleaded, tears streaming down his face, begging for just a little more time to talk.
Even Stella, usually so reserved and quiet, joined in the desperate plea, tears streaming down her face. Overwhelmed by their earnestness, I relented. "Alright, alright," I said, "talk as long as you need."
While I was letting them have their moment, I realized their voices were getting a little too loud and might attract attention.
Tesoro, who I suspected belonged to the Celestial Dragon who owned the villa, was chained by the neck to the outer fence. He was straining against the chain, stretching as far as it would allow, trying to get closer to Stella.
Even so, the distance made their voices a little too loud. This wasn't ideal.
Luckily, I had just taken off my Sea Stone accessories for the Performance. Using the Paper-Paper Fruit's ability, I made them a makeshift string phone.
I "borrowed" some thread from Tesoro's tattered, frayed clothes. It looked like a toy, but it would work well enough for them to talk.
When they were done, I told Stella to reel it back in, tear it up, and throw it away. Then I left them alone.
About two hours later, the home party ended, and we returned to the Separate Residence.
Stella thanked me profusely, her voice trembling with gratitude.
It felt wonderful to talk to her again after so long, to know we were both safe and well. "Thank you," she said, her voice thick with emotion, tears streaming down her face as she smiled.
She assured me she had properly disposed of the string phone, glancing at the fireplace in the corner of the room as she spoke. Good.
If only we could find a way to meet like this again someday.
___
Month XX, Day XX
Later that night, after watching Stella return to her slave quarters, I lay in bed and suddenly realized something terrifying.
Just as I had heard at the home party, the 28th Consort's daughter—the one Stella had helped—was dead. So was the slave child who had assisted her.
Their downfall began when Saint Banosakka overheard the 28th Consort's daughter, unable to let go of her bitterness, exclaim, "I can't take it anymore!" The outburst earned the Saint's displeasure.
I heard that the slave child, held responsible for her companion's words, was sent with her to a brutal labor camp as collective punishment.
By the way, the 28th Consort's daughter, as her number suggests, arrived here as a "Wife" just after me, the 27th Consort.
If... if only...
If Saint Banosakka hadn't taken an interest in me, if I hadn't come to Mary Geoise... she would have taken my place as the 27th Consort.
That means... Stella would have been her attendant.
And if that had happened, when she fell from grace, Stella would have...
---
I wouldn't wish that fate on any other slave child, let alone say it was "good" that it wasn't Stella. That would be incredibly disrespectful to whoever suffered such a fate.
Still... I can't help but feel relieved that Stella was spared. Seeing her chatting so cheerfully with Tesoro today, it's impossible not to feel that way.
Several months passed in much the same way. Through the "Performance," Hancock and the others and I found ourselves meeting and talking often. We became close enough to chat casually whenever we had a spare moment. We'd even practice for the "Performance" by sparring lightly with swords or other weapons, though we couldn't get too intense or noisy.
Life had improved since the beginning. With more people to talk to besides her sisters, Stella seemed much more at ease mentally. That's a good thing.
As for Stella herself... I think they were already close, but after those secret nighttime meetings with Tesoro, their bond seemed to deepen, like they had truly become friends.
He started sharing more personal things with me, stories I'd never heard before, like his history with Tesoro and his past struggles. He even confided in me about his worries and anxieties, things he'd always kept to himself. I felt like we were growing closer, sharing a more genuine connection.
Occasionally, Tesoro would manage to come over for a chat. Whenever I knew he might visit, I'd have a string telephone ready for him—it was easy enough to prepare.
Life in Mary Geoise continued like that, with its moments of joy and laughter mixed with the inevitable hardships and pain.
Then, one day, it happened.
It came without warning.
"I'm tired of you. You're going back to being a Commoner."
With those words, my life in Mary Geoise came to an abrupt end.
To be continued...